That Phone Is Heavy

Damn, that phone’s heavy.

The funny thing is, when I bought it, I was impressed by how lightweight it was. That was one of the major selling points—the newest iPhone, ounces lighter than before. Cell phone ads always boast about how little they weigh. But when it comes time to make a tough call, that tiny device feels like it weighs a hundred pounds.

We all get to a point in life or business where we have to make an uncomfortable phone call. Maybe it’s, “I’m sorry.” Maybe it’s, “Why haven’t you paid me?” But for some reason, we avoid these calls like they’re the plague.

And the truth is, the longer we wait, the heavier that phone gets.

That call I should’ve made two weeks ago? It didn’t get easier with time—it got worse. And if I keep avoiding it, four weeks from now it’ll be worse still. We tell ourselves we’re not ready, that the other person won’t take it well, or that we’ll find the “right” time later. But really, what are we afraid of?

Rejection? Awkwardness? A tough conversation?

Sure. But the truth is, most of the things I fear turn out to be way less scary than I imagined. I’ve played out entire scenarios in my head, and guess what? They almost never go the way I feared. And yes—sometimes, they go worse. But not once did avoiding the conversation make the outcome better. If anything, the delay just made me more stressed and the situation more strained.

Here’s a real example:
Back in late December—around Christmas—I knew I needed to quit a job. It wasn’t a good fit anymore. I told myself I’d say something in January. January came and went. I showed up, did the work, and kept quiet. I told myself I was being nice, not leaving anyone hanging. But the truth? I was scared of the conversation.

Fast forward to the end of February. I get a call—and it’s them. They’d decided not to renew my contract. After all that anxiety, I felt immediate relief. I told them, “Oh my God, I’ve been meaning to tell you the same thing for weeks. I just didn’t know how.”

They were relieved, too.

All that stress, all that hesitation—for what? We both wanted the same outcome. We just didn’t talk about it.

This taught me a huge lesson: the conversation you’re avoiding? The other person might be avoiding it too. They may be just as uncomfortable, unsure, and hoping you will break the silence. Meanwhile, you’re both losing sleep over something that could be resolved with one five-minute conversation.

I thought I was helping by staying on longer than I wanted to. They thought they were stuck trying to figure out how to break the news to me. We both suffered unnecessarily because neither of us made the call.

That’s why the phone gets heavy. It’s not the metal or the glass—it’s the fear we attach to it.

So let me ask you:
What phone call are you avoiding?
What conversation are you hiding from?
What’s scaring you that probably isn’t as scary as you’ve made it in your head?

Make the call. Say the thing. Rip off the Band-Aid. Because even if it does go poorly, at least you’ll be free to move forward. And if it goes better than expected—which it probably will—you’ll wonder why you waited so long.

And maybe, just maybe, the next time the phone feels a little lighter.